VOLUME ISSUE FEBRUARY , P111
The standard and aggressive
maps bring out the RX's racer
DNA and are maps better suited
for loamy, sandy and softer con
-
ditions. For riders who want the
most mellow power character,
map two with maximum trac
-
tion control can help turn this
bike into a sneaky "CRF350RX,"
if you know what we mean.
Large four-stroke singles are
notorious for "flaming out" at
the most inopportune times,
usually in conditions when the
trail is tight and technical and
the RPMs are low, but not the
Honda—well, not as much as
previous RXs. Fueling is right
on the money in all areas of the
RPM range.
The RX's suspension is
noticeably softer than the R, but
it still feels "racey." Compared
to the R, the RX's suspension
settles further into the stroke to
absorb chatter bumps with less
negative feedback. According
The standard and aggressive
maps bring out the RX's racer
DNA and are maps better suited
for loamy, sandy and softer con
ditions. For riders who want the
most mellow power character,
map two with maximum trac
tion control can help turn this
bike into a sneaky "CRF350RX,"
if you know what we mean.
Large four-stroke singles are
notorious for "flaming out" at
the most inopportune times,
usually in conditions when the
trail is tight and technical and
the RPMs are low, but not the
Honda—well, not as much as
previous RXs. Fueling is right
on the money in all areas of the
RPM range.
The RX's suspension is
noticeably softer than the R, but
it still feels "racey." Compared
to the R, the RX's suspension
settles further into the stroke to
absorb chatter bumps with less
negative feedback. According
the Yamaha feels a little narrow-
er. The Kawasaki KX450X also
feels narrower, but its tank is not
oversized, so it holds less fuel.
Powerwise, the new RX feels
smooth from top to bottom.
The new airbox tones down
the engine's "hit" a bit, making
the RX easier to ride and less
exhausting overall. We spent
much of our first day riding the
RX on medium-tight single-track
trails and preferred the smooth
map (two blinking lights), which
made the bike easier to control
from low to mid while still pack
-
ing a punch on top when the
trails opened up.
We raced the RX at the Blythe
round of the NCPC series, and
we went with the smooth op-
tion. We gave up a little bottom-
end torque and midrange punch
in exchange for maximum ride
-
ability for the longer 45-minute
race. Apparently, it worked—we
won our class.
